16 Best Tablets : Holidays 2016

The Best Tablets For Your Money?

By that, I mean the tablet that offer the best features at a given price. Because if you’re about to buy a tablet, you want the one that offers the best features possible for your needs, right?

If you have the time to do research… but who does?

You don’t have the time to read or the knowledge to understand detailed tablet reviews and specifications and just want the answers? In other words, what you want to know is:
“What’s the best tablet for my needs?”

So if you don’t have the time, don’t worry. We’re here to help you with this article.

A reminder:

My recommendations in this article are based on the prices that I saw on November 26th 2016. Prices and availability change all the time. While I can’t keep up with ever changing prices, I do recommend to you what are in my professional experience the best tablets.

Leave a comment if you have a question, a suggestion and/or any feedback that you want to share.

The Best Entry-level Tablets

Amazon Fire Tablets

1. Amazon Fire

The Amazon Fire is the least expensive tablet that I recommend. It’s not the most powerful, nor does it offer the best screen or great cameras. It is meant to be used for casual use, for browsing the web, emails, ebooks, Facebook and the like.

Pros:
– A MicroSD slot allows you to add a MicroSD card for up to 200GB additionnal storage to store music, pictures, videos and other content
– Inexpensive tablet and offers a good quality for its price
– Quite light at only 313g (.69 pound)
– Good for casual use such as browsing the internet, emails and facebook
– Amazon prime members get free games, movies and appsCons:– Low resolution screen so the display could be better and is not going to look as smooth as an HD display
– Low camera quality: The back camera is only 2MP, while the front camera is even worse: 640 x 480. Acceptable at best for video calls, but you’re not going to be able to take mind-blowing pictures.
– Because of its low amount of memory, performance can be slow while running multiple applications at the same time.
– This is not a good tablet for game applications, games are demanding on this tablet and are most likely to be unable to run smoothly and properly.
– Restrictive OS: The operating system of amazon tablets is highly focused on Amazon services, this means that unless you are an Amazon prime member you can’t fully benefit from all that it has to offer.

Get the Amazon Fire:

2. Amazon Fire HD6

Compared to the Amazon Fire, the Fire HD6 offers higher performance, a sharper display, a longer battery life, is more portable is available in multiple colors

Pros:– The HD Display for a sharp and crisp image quality so that way the display looks smoother.
– It packs a better CPU performance than the other Fire tablets so it’s able to run all the apps you throw at it without being slowed down as much.
– Highly portable: Compact 6″ screen size and lightweight (290g / 0.63 pound)
– Multiple color choices

Cons:
– HD display: It’s better than the Amazon Fire, but you can get tablets with even higher resolution displays that look sharper.
– Low camera quality: The back camera is only 2MP, while the front camera is even worse: 640 x 480. Acceptable at best for video calls, but you’re not going to be able to take mind-blowing pictures.
– Restrictive OS : The operating system of amazon tablets is highly focused on Amazon services, this means that unless you are an Amazon prime member you can’t fully benefit from all that it has to offer.
– No storage card slot so its restricted to the initial internal storage, this means once the device is full you can’t add any extra space.

Get the Amazon Fire HD6

3. Amazon Fire HD8

With the Fire HD8, you get a larger 8″ screen, a longer battery life, more RAM for running multiple apps, twice the storage capacity for the base model and a Micro SD slot if you want to increase the storage capacity.

Pros:– HD Display for a sharp and crisp image quality so that way the display looks smoother.
– The base storage option is 16GB, double of what the HD6 and Fire Tablet offer as a base option.
– Good battery life : Up to 12 hours on regular use so it needs to be charged less often and can be enjoyed for longer periods of time
– 1.5GB RAM means that you can use more applications at the same time without slowdowns.
– A MicroSD slot allows you to insert a MicroSD memory card, of a capacity up to 200GB, for additional storage space for your music, video, pictures and other content.

Cons:
– HD display: It’s better than the Amazon Fire, but you can get tablets with even higher resolution displays that look sharper.
– Low camera quality: The back camera is only 2MP, while the front camera is even worse: 640 x 480. Acceptable at best for video calls, but you’re not going to be able to take mind-blowing pictures.
– Restrictive OS : The operating system of amazon tablets is highly focused on Amazon services, this means that unless you are an Amazon prime member you can’t fully benefit from all
that it has to offer.

Get the Amazon Fire HD8

4. Amazon Fire Kids

Ideal if you have kids or if you’re prone to accidents.

Pros:– The 2 Year unlimited warranty is a great, whatever happens to the tablet or no matter how it breaks, Amazon will replace it no questions asked!
– Comes with a child-proof protective case for extra protection.
– Tons of content for kids such as videos, games, music so that your child will never be bored with it.
– A MicroSD slot allows you to insert a MicroSD memory card, of a capacity up to 200GB, for additional storage space for your music, video, pictures and other content.

Cons:– The battery life is around 6 hours of mixed usage (Web browsing, videos, music and applications). This means that it needs to be recharged more often than usual.
– Low resolution so the display is not at sharp as it could be.

Get the Amazon Fire Kids

Amazon Reading Tablets

5. Amazon Kindle

Are you looking for a reading tablet, that’s easy to carry, with a battery that lasts weeks and that’s doesn’t cost much?

Pros:
– Inexpensive for what it has to offer
– Incredibly thin and light, making it easier for you to hold it in one hand, to carry it around on public transport, vacation, etc.
– Easy to read: Uses actual ink particles and proprietary, hand-built fonts to create crisp text similar to what you see in a physical book.
– Outstanding battery life
– No distractions, no notifications.

Cons:
– There is no memory card slot so there is no possibility to add extra content after the internal storage has been filed.
– The lack of backlight makes it harder to read in conditions where it’s less bright than usual, for example at night, just like a real book.

Get the Amazon Kindle

6. Amazon Kindle PaperWhite

Like the idea of a reading tablet, but also want to be able to read in dark environments? The Kindle PaperWhite offers a backlit screen that allows you to do that, a sharper display, as well as an even longer battery life than the Kindle.

Pros:– The battery on this model allows for around 2 months of battery life which means it needs to be charged less often than the regular Kindle.
– A HD resolution screen that gives you a better, more crisp display and optimizes your reading experience.
– Backlit screen allows you to read in dim light.

Cons:– No audiobook support which means the tablet is restricted to reading and you can’t listen to audiobooks with it

Get the Amazon Kindle PaperWhite

7. Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 300 10.1″

Are you looking for a great entry-level windows tablet that comes with a detachable keyboard and good amount of storage from the go? This model might interest you. The Intel Atom Z3735F CPU that comes in this device isn’t a powerhouse but it’s perfect to do all the tasks a tablet is made for such as web browsing, emails and some applications that aren’t demanding ressources wise.

Pros:– 64GB of onboard storage is a huge amount for the price of this device. You probably won’t need extra storage anytime soon.
– MicroSD card reader to add a MicroSD card for extra storage to add more images, videos and music.
– Comes with a detachable keyboard so that way you can switch in between tablet and laptop mode depending on what you need.
– IPS display panel for accurate colors, great contrasts and a large view angle.
– Micro-HDMI that lets you connect your display on a external screen.
– This tablet runs on Windows 10.
– Bluetooth 4.0

Cons:

– Even though there is a keyboard included, its layout could be better : the arrow keys are stuck with the page down and page up keys which can be bothersome.
– Battery could be better : this battery has an average of 7 hours battery life when web browsing with WiFi , which is lower than most comparable models at the same price point.

8. Nvidia Shield Tablet K1

Looking for an inexpensive tablet for playing video games? The Nvidia Shield features an excellent GPU from Nvidia and great overall performance, especially for the price.

Pros:– High performance midrange Android tablet
– Very affordable for what it has to offer in terms of hardware.
– Both the front and rear camera are a 5Mpx camera making your selfies as clear as any other shot taken by the rear camera
– Its ARM A15 Cortex 2.2Ghz Quad-Core CPU combined with Nvdia’s Tegra K1 GPU makes this device an incredible gaming tablet. It can run any games on the android store with a good performance and beautiful display without any problems.
– This tablet offers the Nvidia Now service which even makes it possible to stream PC games to your tablet.
– A MicroSD slot allows you to insert a MicroSD memory card, of a capacity up to 200GB, for additional storage space for your music, video, pictures and other content.
– You can buy a controller for it

The Best Mid-range Tablets:

9. Ipad Mini 2

The Ipad mini 2 is the lowest cost Apple tablet, it’s still very up to date and offers good performance. It has an A7 processor which is by default slower than the A8 that is in the mini 4 but is still by no means a slow device.

Pros:– Anti reflect coating makes it easier to see on the screen when using the device outside on sunny days
– iOS is a very user friendly and stable operating system : this means it is easier to navigate around your device and it is also less likely to crash at any given time or in any situation.
– Great resolution : Apple products offer the most beautiful image and display quality on all of their products

Cons:– It doesn’t offer Burst mode, timer mode or slo-mo video support– No HDR for the facetime camera so the quality of front camera videos won’t be as beautiful and as clear other ipad Models
– No touch ID
– 5mpx photos vs the mini’4s 8mpx
– No MicroSD slot for extra storage means you are limited to the internal storage, althought you can get up to 128GB on the tablet and it is possible to use apple’s Icloud cloud service for storage.

10. Huawei MediaPad M3

Looking for an high-performance Android tablet for everyday usage? The Huawei MediaPad M3 is an excellent choice.

Pros:– High perfomance Android Tablet with a great CPU and 4GB of RAM, this device is great for multi-tasking and having multiple apps open at the same time without effecting the performance.
– 32GB internal storage makes it possible to store a great amount of apps, music, videos and images without having to buy extra storage right from the beginning.
– Latest Android 6.0 operating system, this means less bugs and better performance.
– 8 MP front and back camera that gives beautiful and detailed photos and videos.
– The Micro SD slot makes it possible to add up extra content such as images, videos and music on the device.
– 2560 x 1600 resolution for a smooth and crisp image quality combined with an IPS panel for accurate colors, great contrasts and large view angles makes this device visually stunning.
– Good build quality: It has an aluminum body which makes it highly durable.

Cons:– No 5GHz WiFi which means you can’t use the faster 5GHz band wireless networks.

Get the Huawei MediaPad M3

The Best High-End Tablets

11. ASUS ZenPad 3S 9.7″

If you are looking for an high performance tablet at the best possible price? This device comes with 64GB of onboard storage right off the bat which is better than average at this price point. Add 4GB of RAM which is also more than average, combined with a high quality display and build. All of this makes it an excellent choice: a high-end tablet at this price is simply amazing.

Pros:– High perfomance Android Tablet with a great CPU and 4GB of RAM, this device is great for multi-tasking and having multiple apps open at the same time without affecting the performance.
– 64GB internal storage is an insane amount of onboard storage and makes it possible to store a great amount of apps, music, videos and images without having to buy extra storage right from the beginning.
– 8 MP rear camera that gives beautiful and detailed photos and videos.
– Latest Android 6.0 operating system, this means less bugs and better performance.
– This device has a fingerprint scanner for extra authentication security.
– The Micro SD slot makes it possible to add up to 128GB of extra images, videos and musicon the device.
– Full HD resolution for a smooth and crisp image quality combined with an IPS panel for accurate colors, great contrasts and large view angles makes this device visually stunning.
– Latest USB-C charging port and quick charge to be able to recharge your device in no time.
– Good build quality: It has an aluminum body which makes it highly durable.
– Average battery life : lasts up to 7 hours with WiFi and video playback on.

Cons :– Device comes with a lot of installed bloatware (Unwanted programs) but they can always be uninstalled.

Get the ASUS ZenPad 3S 9.7″

12. Apple Ipad Mini 4

The latest and most powerful version of the Apple Ipad Mini series.

Pros:– Outstanding performance : Apple devices have high-end CPUs, are very responsive and will last you years if you take care of it.
– Great resolution : Apple products offer the most beautiful image and display quality on all of their tablets.
– iOS is a very user friendly and stable operating system : this means it is easier to navigate around your device and it is also less likely to crash at any given time or in any situation.
– Great rear 8mpx Camera for clear pictures and an optimal image quality so your able to take beautiful photos combined with it’s portability makes it a great tablet to carry out on vacation or trip.

Cons: – No MicroSD slot for extra storage means you are limited to the internal storage, although you can get up to 128GB on the tablet and it is possible to use apple’s Icloud cloud service for storage.

13. Apple Ipad air 2 9.7″

A really good option for people who don’t want to pay the cost of the ipad pro. Great performance and a lot less expensive. Most people who use a tablet for social media, photo, video, music, web browsing go for this model. It is available with 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage size

I am only recommending the 16GB model in refurbished because when bought new, the 16GB is the same price as the 32GB model.

Pros:– Outstanding performance : Apple devices have high-end CPUs, are very responsive will last you years if you take care of it.
– Great rear 8mpx Camera for clear pictures and an optimal image quality so you’re able to take beautiful photos.
– Great resolution : Apple products offer the most beautiful image and display quality on all of their tablets.
– iOS is a very user friendly and stable operating system : this means it is easier to navigate around your device and it is also less likely to crash at any given time or in any situation.Cons:– No MicroSD slot for extra storage means you are limited to the internal storage , althought you can get up to 128GB on the tablet and it is possible to use apple’s Icloud cloud service for storage.

The Best Professional Tablets

14. Apple Ipad Pro 9.7″

Want an Apple tablet on which you can use the Apple pencil and get outstanding performance, while still being portable? The Apple Ipad Pro 9.7″ is what you want then.

Pros:– Even higher performance than the Ipad Air 2.
– Anti-Reflect display which makes the device easy to use outside without minimizing visibility
– Apple pencil support for designers that offers amazing precision when it comes to sketches and drawing
– The four stereo speakers on this tablet offer great sound.
– 9.7″ display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution and P3 colour gamut: Beautiful, accurate display.
– True Tone display automatically adapts the colour and intensity of the display to match the light in your surroundings.
– iOS is a very user friendly and stable operating system : this means it is easier to navigate around your device and it is also less likely to crash at any given time or in any situation.
– Excellent camera: 12MPix with f/2.2 aperture
– More portable than the larger variant, measuring 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm and weighing 437g.

Cons:– No MicroSD slot for extra storage means you are limited to the internal storage , althought you can get up to 128GB on the tablet and it is possible to use apple’s Icloud cloud service for storage.

Get the Ipad Pro 9.7″

15. Apple Ipad Pro 12.9″

Interested in an Apple Ipad Pro, but a 9.7″ screen is too small for you? The Ipad Pro 12.9″ offers a significantly larger screen, with an higher 2732 x 2048 resolution.

Pros :– The biggest and fastest Apple tablet to this date.
– This tablet perfect for multitasking and design.
– Apple pencil support for designers that offers amazing precision when it comes to sketches and drawing.
– 12.9″ display with a 2732 x 2048 resolution and P3 colour gamut: Beautiful, accurate display.
– True Tone display automatically adapts the colour and intensity of the display to match the light in your surroundings
– Great camera: 8MPix with f/2.4 aperture
– The four stereo speakers on this tablet offer great sound.

Cons:
– Reduced portability due to its size makes it less convenient to carry around. 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm and it weighs 713g.
– No MicroSD slot for extra storage means you are limited to the internal storage , althought you can get up to 128GB on the tablet and it is possible to use apple’s Icloud cloud service for storage.

Get the Apple Ipad Pro 12.9″

16. Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Multi-touch tablet

The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a full-fledged Windows computer in a tablet.Pros– High performance Windows 10 tablet, equipped with Intel high-performance Core CPUs, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage
– Full size USB 3.0 Type-A allows you to connect many devices to it.
– Mini Displayport allows you to connect an external monitor to it.
– Allows you to run any Windows program.
– 8Mpix camera
– Go from tablet to laptop in a snap with the multi-position Kickstand.
– A MicroSD slot allows you to insert a MicroSD memory card, of a capacity up to 200GB, for additional storage space for your music, video, pictures and other content.
– Comes with a pen that works well and is very responsive.
– Available in a wide variety of processors, RAM and storage optionsCons:– The Microsoft type cover is sold separately: Amazon, B&H ($129.99) or Newegg ($129.99)
– Quite heavy for a tablet

About The Author

HR Founder - Computer expert with over 16 years of experience in building, fixing and modifying PCs.
Over the years, I’ve developed a passion for PC hardware and now I enjoy helping others build their own PCs!
In April 2008, I launched Hardware Revolution and ... Read more at my about page

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